Originally published in the Catholic Times, vol 62:27
“Rituals are important,” my friend said as we gathered around the dinner table on Holy Thursday evening. The four of us read prayers together, broke bread, shared wine, and then poured water from a ceramic vase over each other’s hands, praying a blessing as we did. Later we joined with others in our parish to celebrate the Mass that began the Easter Triduum, three days packed with liturgical ritual.
As the Easter season continues, I find myself pondering ritual in life outside church sanctuaries as well as within them. My friend is right. Rituals are important. They provide tangible symbols of realities we cannot see or touch, but experience interiorly. They provide a link to people or places that are part of our history. They help us step out of routine and focus on truths that guide our lives. They help us remember the Holy Presence in which we live.
I arrived at my friends’ home that evening and noticed the small ceramic plate and cup, pitcher and bowl that shared the table’s center with a vase of daffodils and palm fronds. I had eaten dinner with them on other Holy Thursdays but had forgotten about the ritual until that moment. Holding the bread, touching the cup slowed me down. Read More